Just a Little Bit of Something
by CrazyKaty55
Summary: When Mae left him, she swore she wasn't going back. Six years later, he winds up in front her by pure chance and forces her to see where she belongs. Jeff/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Just A Little Bit of Something**

**Chapter One - The Works, Philadelphia, Penn.**

_I'm only getting' paid 3 notes a week and _this_ is the kinda crap I'm expected to deal with?_ Mae Lancer thought to herself as she spun around and dealt the guy harassing her another blow to the cranium.

"The bigger they are…" she muttered and shoved him toward Carl, the 300-pound bouncer who kept her out of the hospital - or jail - when her temper got the better of her.

"Don't you think you ought to let me handle 'em from now on?" Carl hollered over the music pounding through the crowded bar. "How else am I supposed to earn my paycheck?" he continued, slinging his friend's latest victim over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and heading in the direction of the entrance.

"By flirting with underage girls when you're tryin' to figure out how they got their fake IDs, of course," Mae answered as she headed in the opposite direction - back to the bar she served from. "So, gentlemen," she exclaimed upon her return, "what'll it be?"

Awestruck by the petite brunette, the patrons took a moment before replying with their drink orders. Mae served them up with a smile and wink, gratefully accepting the tip they offered. Hey, a girl can't survive on a paycheck alone anymore these days.

Five hours later, last call was a welcome sign. Mae flopped on the bar, practically overjoyed to hear Carl lock the front door after shooing out the last of the night's clientele.

"Whassamatter doll?" her oversized friend teased, strolling across the floor to join her. "Rough night?" Mae raised her exhausted head and glared daggers at the man she had adopted as her big brother. His only response was to chuckle and ruffle her hair affectionately.

"Go home, get some sleep. I can finish up here with Molly, she hasn't had to deal with your particular brand of customers all night."

"Oh Carl you're a god among apes, you know that?" Mae sighed and shuffled to the locker rooms and was quickly homeward bound.

When she entered her tiny studio apartment she was greeted by a small pile of unpaid bills and her dog Atlantis, a 75-pound Doberman that the landlord knew nothing about.

"Hey Lanny-girl," she murmured as the dog sprang up from her sprawl on the mattress to greet her mistress. "Well you had a productive day I see," Mae added, noting the decimated roll of toilet paper that currently littered her floor. The dog just smiled her doggy-grin and gave her best _Who, me?_ impression. Snickering, Mae ignored the mess and flopped facedown on her bed. Atlantis joined her within seconds and soon after, the two were completely passed out.

***

**WWE event in Philly, at the superstars' hotel**

"Yo! Matt! The fuck is taking you so long?" Jeff Hardy once again found himself pounding on the door of the bathroom he was sharing with his older brother, wondering what on earth it was that he could be doing.

"Keep your panties on, I'll be out in a minute!" came the answering shout. Jeff rolled his eyes in frustration.

"Staring at it won't make it any bigger, ya know," he called through the door, hoping if he irritated Matt enough he might just open the door and he could sneak in past him.

"It'll still be bigger than yours," came the taunting reply. _Damn! Foiled again!_

Practically growling in frustration, Jeff flopped on his bed and found himself channel surfing, occasionally knocking the back of his multi-colored head against the wall out of sheer boredom. Ten minutes later…

"Matt! What the hell man?!? Get out of the friggin' john!" The bathroom door opened to reveal Jeff's darker-haired brother with a look of extreme annoyance on his face. "What the fuck were you doin' in there?"

A few moments passed, then Matt's irritation turned to mischievousness. "Seeing how long it took you to get bored out of your skull," he grinned, and earned a slug to the arm. He countered with a headlock and soon the brothers were bouncing each other off the walls good-naturedly.

Fortunately, before they broke anything too expensive, they were interrupted when someone knocked on the door and entered, not waiting for an invite. The Hardy boys looked up at their guest simultaneously with identical looks of _I've got him, just one more minute and he's mine!_ on their faces, causing their singular audience to burst into laughter.

"Kelly! Hey, what's up?" Matt asked, not releasing the chokehold he currently had Jeff in. To his credit, Jeff did wave at Kelly in greeting, as he was unable to speak.

Taking a few deep breaths to keep her giggles under control, the blonde Diva waved back. "Jeff, Matt, so nice to see you boys acting like adults." But her patronizing words were softened by the grin that rarely left her face. In answer, the boys shrugged in unison, then got back to business.

"Whoa, whoa hold it there!" she called over the thuds of elbows hitting possibly important internal organs, pausing the match once again. "John and Dave wanted to know if you guys are coming out with us tonight. Apparently there's some bar they really want to go to."

"Yeah, we're all for it," Jeff wheezed, his neck still a little sore. Matt was facedown on the floor but he managed to squirm out of Jeff's hold long enough to nod his assent before becoming pinned again.

"Great, we'll come get you around eight," Kelly declared before taking her leave, not really sure if either of the brothers heard her.

"What'd she say?" Matt asked, climbing atop one of the beds and diving over his brother.

"You think I was listening?" the younger Hardy answered as he rolled out of the way just in time to avoid becoming part of the carpet.

***

Thankfully, when eight o'clock rolled around and the brothers had another impromptu guest, they were showered and ready to party. John Cena barreled through their door, and chased them out into the hallway, obviously more than ready to go.

The group consisted of John, Kelly, Jeff and Matt, Kofi Kingston, Phil Brooks (better known as CM Punk), Mike Mazarin (the Miz), John Hennigan (Morrison), Mickie James and Oscar Gutierrez (Rey Mysterio). Dave Batista had opted out, claiming he was still sore from his Lumberjack match earlier in the week.

They all piled into an assortment of taxis and, following John's directions, wound up disembarking in front of a blue neon sign that read The Works. Good natured chatter was constantly flowing throughout the group as they filed inside and found their way to the bar or the dance floor.

Jeff and Matt hung back for a minute, surveying the crowd. Matt eventually slapped his brother on the shoulder and went to join some of their friends dancing, while Jeff decided to stick to the wall and entertain himself people-watching.

Most of the subjects he found the most interesting were either drunk off their ass or well on their way. One such character had jumped up next to the DJ and was loudly requesting that he play some Metallica. A college-aged girl on the dance floor was yelling up at him, alternating between insulting his manhood and plaintively begging him to come down before he fell. Jeff chuckled to himself, and was about to join Phil and a few others across the room, when a sudden commotion broke out at the bar.

Jeff glanced over in time to see a man leaning halfway over the counter, grasping the bartender and it appeared that he refused to release her. The clearly sauced client seemed to be demanding something from the young woman and she was undoubtedly denying him. For reasons unknown to him, Jeff found himself making his way closer to the scene unfolding.

Mae's arm was sure to have bruises on it the next day, as she was currently being held in the vice-like grip of a 40-something businessman who had too much to drink and the wrong idea of the kind of services she offered.

"Listen buddy," she hissed through gritted teeth. "You've got exactly three seconds to get your slimy paws off me before you're left with nothing more than a stump." The drunk just chuckled, thinking she was playing hard to get.

"Aww, c'mon," he slurred. "I'll betchoo know how to show a man a goo' time."

"Time's up!" And Mae curled her free hand into a fist and slammed a powerful right hook into her tormentor's temple.

Jeff stared in shock as the bartender, who could not have weighed more than a pair of sandbags, even soaking wet, laid the drunk out in one smooth move. The man was then grabbed by the bouncer who had eagerly allowed Jeff and his cohorts into the bar, and tossed into the street without ceremony. This was unnoticed by Jeff as he continued to stare at the fierce brunette who had the meanest punch he had seen in quite some time.

_Damn,_ he thought absentmindedly. _I haven't seen a hit like that since the last time - Holy shit!_ The rainbow-haired warrior's train of thought had been completely derailed when he finally got a good look at the face of the bartender.

"Mae?" he heard his voice call, as if it had a mind of its own. The girl behind the bar didn't seem to hear him though, and began to make her way to the back. Intent on catching her before she disappeared, Jeff ducked and swerved his way through the crowd and managed to spot her slipping through a door.

"Mae!" he called again, this time louder. He knew she heard him, because her whole body stiffened before she slowly turned around.

It was a dream. This whole night was a dream, Mae kept repeating to herself. Because there was no way the man she had finally given up hope on ever seeing again had just appeared in front of her. In _her_ city. In _her _bar.

Shaking herself out of her moment of disbelief, Mae noticed more than a few eyes were on her and Jeff, watchful for more drama. Not wanting that, she mentioned her old friend to follow her, and disappeared through the door she was holding.

Blinking, it took Jeff a moment to gather himself, but he followed her back to a plain, yet comfortable lounge. Mae was pacing when he entered the room, obviously distressed by the sight of him. Deciding to let her start, he sat down on the couch and began to wait her out.

It took Mae a few minutes to realize that Jeff had followed her and was currently sitting perfectly still, watching her every move. That made her blush and she turned her back and bit her lip hurriedly, trying to hide her embarrassment. Once she got her expression under control she forced herself to face him.

"What are you doin' here?" she demanded, hands akimbo, her stance practically threatening. Jeff's brows raised in surprise at her hostility, but his better judgment reminded him of the guy she had just taken out cold, and he remained calm.

"John rounded everyone up and decided this was the place to be tonight," he answered, his eyes never leaving her face. "You know how he gets when he's been in a hotel too long." He was about to continue explaining when Mae interrupted.

"Wait a sec, what d'you mean _everyone_?" Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Jeff didn't answer her, just met her gaze evenly. "You mean _every_one, don't you?" Mae muttered, her entire body seemingly deflated and she collapsed in an armchair. Silence stretched between them again until Jeff couldn't take it anymore and began questioning her himself.

"Where the hell have you been?" His old friend's eyes shot up to meet his when she registered the undercurrents of emotion in Jeff's voice. And just when he thought she might actually answer him honestly, her eyes hardened and she turned away.

"Nowhere. So what brings you to Philly?" Realizing he wasn't going to get anything cleared up with her in the back room of a bar, Jeff let it go - for now.

"Same thing that brings me everywhere Mae - wrestling."

In the back of her mind, Mae was practically having a meltdown. One side of her psyche was screaming to run, run now! _He hurt me once before, he'll only do it again!_ Meanwhile the other side of her kept urging her to go to him, touch his hair, make sure he was real and then hang on for dear life. And at this point, she was pretty much helpless to listen to either point of view. So she did the next best thing and avoided it all.

Jumping up, she headed for the door and back to her bar. "Well listen, I got customers calling. Can't just hide in back cuz I got assaulted again."

Jeff snorted, making her turn and fix her questioning gaze on him once again. "Somethin' funny there, Jeffro?" Without even meaning to, the old nickname had rolled right off her tongue, like it had been waiting for its chance the past six years.

"Oh no, I'm sure you feel all shaken up about that little 'incident' earlier," he scoffed. "I think we might need to re-acquaint you with the meaning of the word 'assault' though. Cuz from where I was standing, you were doing just fine all on your own." The grin that had been threatening to spill out ever since he sat watching her, finally spread over his face and Mae had to bite down twice as hard on the urge to run to him.

"Gotta keep the fans in line," she replied sarcastically and then was gone, leaving Jeff trying to convince himself not to follow her. He was still arguing with himself when he stepped back into the main part of the bar and right into his brother.

"Hey there you are! We been looking for you everywhere," Matt cried. "Where the hell you been?"

"Oh nowhere. Just in the back, talking to Mae," Jeff replied nonchalantly.

"Well alright, but next time - wait, what? _Mae?" _When Jeff simply nodded and turned his brother's attention to the bar, Matt could only stare for a moment before charging over to the young woman he had considered a little sister.

Mae was just about to swing herself back behind the bar, when she was grabbed for the second time that night - this time strong hands gripped her waist and bodily heaved her into an equally strong chest.

"Does everyone want a friggin' concussion tonight?" she yelled in aggravation, struggling to get away. Her body instantly stilled when a familiar voice answered in her ear.

"I dunno babe, you just point 'em out and I'll let you know."

"Matty!" Mae turned her head and caught sight of Jeff's older brother - the most welcome sight she had seen in quite awhile. The moment he set her on her feet, she was jumping back into his arms, this time giving him the bear hug. "Oh my god I didn't even think - when I saw Jeff it just freaked me out so much I didn't even realize you would be here too!"

"C'mon babe, you know where one Hardy goes, the other ain't far behind. Especially when it comes to our best girl," Matt answered, completely understanding her train of thought. "I missed you so much, Mae."

Hearing those words almost made her lose it right there in the crowded bar - almost. "I missed you too Matt. I can't count the number of times I wanted to call you." Pulling back to get a good look at her face, Matt's expression turned to one of slight confusion.

"Then why didn't you? How come none of us have heard from you in so long? You know the second you called we would have been there." Mae nodded, dropping her gaze to the floor, answering Matt's question without speaking. "You didn't want him to know where you were, did ya?" he murmured, already knowing the answer, her nod of assent only confirmed the suspicions he had the past several years. "Oh honey," and he wrapped her back in a hug.

Jeff didn't join the two in their reunion, but he did watch from the sidelines and his chest became extremely heavy when he saw Mae's face fall at something Matt said, and then bury herself in his brother's chest. A moment of jealously flared within him before his brain kicked him into remembering there was never anything going on between the two most important people in his life, and that there never would be.

He shook himself out of his thoughts when he saw Matt glancing around, looking for him. He lifted his arm in a wave and once his brother caught sight of him, the two began making their way over.

"Mae's coming with us," was all the elder Hardy had to say, and Jeff's life turned upside down.


	2. Chapter 2

**Just A Little Bit of Something**

**Chapter Two - Mae's Apartment**

Mae finished out her shift at the bar as the brothers made their excuses to their friends, claiming they had a "family matter" that needed to be dealt with. Matt made sure that Mae's friend Carl would take care of her boss, and then he whisked her out of there, Jeff following at a slightly more subdued pace.

When they reached Mae's apartment, Atlantis was immediately on alert, her hackles up and growling at the two strange men escorting her mistress. But two words from Mae and she was sitting quietly, not having completely accepted the brothers, but not going to try to eat them either.

Matt ignored the dog at that point, trusting Mae not to let her use the boys for chew toys, but Jeff eyed her warily, and when he approached her, Atlantis raised her lip and stared at him, seemingly daring him to come closer. "She won't hurt you," Mae tried to assure the younger brother, but his answering stare was not convinced. Shrugging to herself, Mae flung open her suitcase and started tossing shit inside.

Twenty minutes later, everything she needed was packed. The rest Molly and Carl were going to ship to North Carolina for her later in the week.

"You ready to go?" Matt murmured, watching Mae glance around the tiny apartment. How she had managed to cram her spirit into that little place amazed him. The Mae Lancer he knew needed her space, and lots of it.

"Yeah," she answered quietly, clipped on Atlantis's leash and headed out the door.

***

The three of them managed to sneak the Doberman into the hotel without too much trouble – she was well-trained and surprisingly manageable that night. Sitting on Jeff's bed that she had claimed for her own, Atlantis would raise her head and snarl quietly whenever the previous owner of the bed came within five feet of her or Mae. Finally Jeff had enough.

"Jesus Mae will you call your freakin' dog off? I haven't done anything!"

"It's not me Jeff, she just doesn't like you for some reason. Imagine that!" Mae snapped in reply. Matt quickly smothered his grin, but was glad to see Mae still had her spunk.

"Tell you what Jeff, why don't you give me and Shorty here a few minutes to talk? Can you run to one of the girls' rooms and see if they can take a roommate for tonight?" At that request though, Mae wrinkled her nose.

"Aw c'mon Matt. I don't really want to spend the night with one of those bimbos. Especially bimbos I don't know. Just let me sleep here, I can take the couch."

"You're not sleepin' on the couch," the boys replied in unison. Whatever Jeff's feelings were about having Mae here, he wasn't a total jerk.

"You can take my bed, your mutt's already claimed it," he added before heading to the door. "I'm goin' for a walk."

As the door shut behind him, Mae turned to Matt and sighed. "He's a friggin' ray of sunshine, ain't he?"

"Well in all fairness, there are times you do seem to bring it out of him," Matt reminded her. Mae shrugged again and flopped next to Atlantis. A few moments of silence passed before Matt grew impatient.

"Okay baby-girl. Spill it. Where the hell have you been all these years?"

Knowing she would have to tell the raven-haired Hardy eventually, Mae unloaded about why she left Cameron, how she wound up in Philadelphia and what she had been doing the past six years.

"I just couldn't take it anymore Matty," she found herself whispering. "I couldn't take what he was doing to himself and what it was doing to me. I mean every time – " Mae couldn't go on any for a moment as her voice seized up in her throat with memories.

"Every time he used, every time he went out chasing his next high, every time he would fall off the wagon when the withdrawals would hit him, it all killed me a little more each time. I don't know how you did it," she finished, turning her head to look Matt in the face. "How did you stick with him through all that? Through everything he was doin' to himself?"

"I didn't."

"What?" Mae shot up to a sitting position, Matt's answer she could not believe.

"I wasn't there Shorty. I didn't stick by his side like I should have." Mae could see the guilt and pain clearly etched on her best friend's face. "He was crashing again, big time, and I had just had it. I kicked him out of the house and told him he couldn't come back until he was clean for good. Everyone told me I was doing the right thing, that he needed to want to quit and I couldn't just pick him back up every time he fell short. But it was hard, oh baby-girl, it was the hardest thing I think I've ever done." Mae wrapped her arms around Matt in sympathy, sharing that same guilt in her own soul.

"And he's clean now? He's done with all that?" she whispered, hardly daring to believe it herself.

"Clean as a whistle," Matt promised, and he didn't miss the quiet sigh of relief that emerged from the tiny brunette's lips. "Hun I wouldn't bring you with us if he was still using. I was pretty sure that was what drove you off in the first place, ya know." Mae nodded silently, glad of his reassurances.

"I need to get some sleep," she thought out loud. Matt smirked and pulled back to chuck her under the chin.

"Okay you get ready for bed, I'm gonna go find the boy wonder and make sure he isn't trying out new moves off the diving board again. Safe to say Vince was not happy when he got _that_ particular phone call from hotel management." Mae giggled at the thought and watched Matt take his leave, before turning to the bathroom.

***

Jeff was indeed by the pool, but Matt was more than slightly relieved to see that he was completely dry. Then he caught sight of his brother's face and knew he needed to start worrying again.

"Hey man, what's up?" Jeff glanced up as Matt came to stand next to him, concern in his eyes.

"Not a whole helluva lot, bro. Just wonderin' why she's here." Matt nodded and was about to answer when he heard Jeff continue, "And why she left."

The older Hardy took a deep breath and blew it out, taking a seat next to his high-flying brother.

"You know why she left, Jeffro," he replied softly, not wanting to push on a touchy subject, but knowing he needed to hear it. Fortunately, Jeff didn't lash out, but the defeat on his face wasn't something Matt wanted to see either. "You need to talk to her man. She's in a lotta pain right now. You dealt with your demons, but she wasn't around for that. To her, they still exist."

"Wait, she doesn't know I'm clean?" Jeff demanded, ready to rip his brother a new one, but Matt was unfazed.

"Yeah, she knows. But she hasn't seen it man. The only memories she has of you right now are ones where you're high and trippin'. I can tell her you're sober and healthy until I'm blue in my damn face, but it's not gonna make a shitload of difference until she sees it for herself." Jeff nodded, understanding what his brother was trying to tell him, but still wary of opening himself up to pain once more.

Matt sighed, and got up to leave, but had one last thing to say. "You still love her?" He got no response, but in all honesty, he hadn't needed one - he knew the answer. "Then man up and dig in, Superstar. Cuz you know she's worth it."

***

Mae was already asleep by the time Jeff came back to the room. When he glanced around, his brother was nowhere to be found, and his anxiety went up a little.

_She's out cold on the bed, ya pussy,_ he hissed at himself. _Just don't wake her up and you won't have to deal with all this shit right now!_ He took two steps toward the bathroom, Atlantis's head came up, the ears went back and she started growling again, effectively waking Mae. _Fuck me._

"Lanis?" he heard Mae whisper, sounding only half-awake. "Whassamatter girl?" Then she caught sight of Jeff and relaxed. "Chill out." For a moment Jeff wasn't sure if she was talking to him or the dog, until Atlantis laid down with her head between her paws. Her eyes, however, never left Jeff's form.

"That dog hates me," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face before looking at Mae. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you up." She shrugged.

"'S okay. I haven't been out that long. Where's Matt? I thought he went to find you?" Jeff shook his head as he made his way toward the couch.

"I don't know. He met up with me outside awhile ago, but then I assumed he came straight back here."

"Well," Mae groaned, flopping back into bed. "It was never that particular Hardy boy I was worried about."

Jeff's eyes narrowed as his temper began to flare. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"

"You figure it out, Jeffro." And she was, once more, fast asleep.

***

Mae woke up the next morning and didn't remember where she was for a moment. The sheets had a faintly familiar smell, combined with hotel-variety detergent, and she could feel Atlantis snoring away beside her. Rolling over, she caught sight of Matt's dark hair in the bed beside her, and the previous night came flooding back.

She moaned quietly and scratched her head, glancing over to the couch, where she noticed Jeff. Seeing him sprawled over the cushions, dark red-and-purple hair spread out around his head, Mae was hit with a powerful sense of longing and déjà vu. She couldn't count the number of times she had woken at the boys' house - usually hours before they rose, corpse-like from their tombs - and found them snoring away in various comical positions.

If she was ever in a good mood - rare that early in the day - she would get up and fix them all breakfast, but usually she just went and sat around watching television until one or both of the Hardy boys would grace her with their presence.

This morning, however, Mae was in no mood to leave her comfy resting place, so she dropped back to the pillow, succumbing to dreams once more.

Not two minutes later, Jeff's unconscious body rolled off the couch and he awoke with a start, cursing. Atlantis opened one eye, decided he wasn't worth it, and fell back asleep. Shaking his head at the temperamental Doberman, Jeff got to his feet and headed to the bathroom.

Upon coming out, he noticed Mae - previously having been too busy imagining ways to damage the couch to remember she was there - and her words to him last night sprung to mind.

"_It was never that particular Hardy boy I was worried about._"

_What the hell was _that_ supposed to mean? Matt did tons of stupid shit right along with me. Fuck, he thought of half of it!_

"Don't think too hard, Jeffro," her voice interrupted him mid-thought. "No one likes brain goo on the carpets." He refocused on her face to find the wicked little grin he used to spend every waking moment with.

Six years ago he would have been able to snark back and forth with her for hours- it had seemed as easy and natural as breathing. Now he could merely chuckle awkwardly, before turning away. _Christ, Hardy! Get it together! _

Thankfully Mae seemed to recover faster than him. "Hey, you hungry?" Surprised at the offer, Jeff nodded quickly, not wanting to miss another opportunity to spend time with her. "Alright, I gotta let 'Lanis out, but I can meet you downstairs."

"The hell with that." And before she could get angry, Jeff stepped past her and waved the room service menu in her face. "Superstars get all the perks," he grinned. Mae rolled her eyes, but he could see the smile she was trying so hard to hide. "So, milady, what'll it be?"

About to rattle off her order, Mae cocked her head to the side and the wicked grin reappeared. "Let's see if you can remember," she challenged, sliding out from under the covers, revealing she had only been sleeping in an old wife beater and her underwear.

_Oh holy Mother of - ! God hates me. A very cruel deity put a body like _that_ with the mind of the woman I'm in love with and who doesn't trust me as far as she can throw me._ Jeff had to quickly avert his eyes, otherwise he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to stop himself from throwing Mae back into bed, with him atop her, feeling every single line and curve. He forced himself to turn around and make it seem like he was busy going over the menu until the door shut behind him and then he flopped on the bed, inwardly groaning.

"The fuck - ! Dude, get off of me." _Oops, wrong bed._

"Sorry man, forgot you were there," Jeff muttered, shoving his hair out of his eyes and sitting up. Matt rolled over and was about to smack his little brother upside the head, when he caught sight of his expression - one part shamefaced, three parts lovestruck - and knew immediately what had happened.

"Still only sleeps in a 'beater and undies, huh?" he snickered, not really feeling that sorry for Jeff at the moment.

"Oh yeah," the WWE champion sighed.

"She always did have a way of making you shut up in the morning," Matt continued, unashamedly ridiculing Jeff. Thankfully the younger Hardy regained some sense of self, picking up a pillow and bashed it into Matt's skull.

"You look sleepy Matt. What's the matter, didn't get enough rest last night?" Jeff pulled his arm back to sling the pillow again, when Matt roared to life and bulldogged him off the bed and onto the floor. And they continued grappling until Mae re-entered the room with Atlantis, this time with her jeans on from the night before.

"Some things never change, do they boys?" she drawled, watching them with both hands perched on her hips and one eyebrow cocked. "How's that breakfast comin' Jeff?" The youngest Hardy's slightly dazed expression - she chalked it up to his head hitting the floor one too many times that morning - told the story right there. Shaking her head, Mae swiped the menu and was on the phone in moments, rattling off her order as the wrestling match continued in the background.

Half an hour later, the boys were still rolling around on the floor when a knock sounded on the door, followed by, "Room service!" Mae stepped over the exhausted brothers and opened the door to accept the meal.

"When did you order that?" Matt groaned as the smell of fresh bacon called him from his prone position on the carpet.

"When you and Skittle-brain over here were busy re-enacting your childhood," she replied dryly, gently throwing a spoon at the other Hardy, still stretched out on the floor. "Hey, Rainbow Boy! Food!"

"Food? Where?" he muttered, lifting his head and shoulders up to catch sight of the steaming plates Mae was handling. Snickering, Matt gave him a hand up and the brothers swarmed the table. Thirty seconds later and they were stuffing their faces as Mae watched them out of the corner of her eye, a tiny grin on her face. _Yep, some things never change._

Jeff glanced up for a second and caught Mae's gaze, making him smile around his eggs. She always had that motherly side to her that would randomly make an appearance, even when they were kids. Sometimes it was so irritating it made him want to tear his hair out, but every once in awhile it was really sweet. Like remembering exactly what their favorite breakfast was.

"I can't believe you remembered," Jeff muttered, gesturing to the plates with his fork, causing Matt to look up from the biscuits he was inhaling, warning bells going off in his head. And sure enough, a clouded look came over Mae's face and the grin disappeared as she focused on her own food.

"I remember a lot more than you think, Jeff," she answered quietly. Matt held his breath, waiting for his younger brother's temper to explode. Instead, Jeff's smile just faded and he got the same guarded expression on his face, nodding slowly and returning to his plate.

Shaking his head in frustration, Matt thought to himself, _Idiots._

***


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three - Matt and Jeff's Hotel Room**

Later that day, Mae took Atlantis out for a run, leaving the Hardy brothers to pack for the trip to their next event. Oddly enough, they were both equally silent, each one pondering different matters. Matt was wondering how on earth he was going to convince the McMahons that Mae needed to come on the road with them. He kept trying different excuses in his head, but each sounded more pointless than the last.

Jeff, on the other hand, was stressing out about how he was supposed to reconnect with the girl in question. They had been peas in a pod, partners in crime, two sides of a trick coin. But now it was like she was hiding from him, trying to keep herself from being completely at ease with him once more, working so hard to make sure she didn't get hurt again. What made it all the worse is that Jeff knew it was his fault, and had no idea what to do to go about fixing it.

He looked up at his brother, about to ask for Matt's advice, when he saw that his brother had his own thoughts consuming his attention. It only took Jeff a moment to figure out what it was, and he rolled his eyes, rather amused Matt hadn't figured it out earlier.

"Just tell them she's your trainer, man. They can put her on the payroll and then maybe you'll even start sucking less," Jeff ribbed, never one to pass up a chance to poke fun at his older sibling. Matt's look turned to mild irritation as he thought over the idea, irked he hadn't thought of it first.

"Yeah that's right baby bro," he answered sarcastically. "I sucked my way to ECW champion. You wanna run that by me again?" Jeff's eyebrows rose, sensing a challenge.

"Well, if the belt fits," he drawled, not about to back down. A sarcastic grin spread over Matt's face as he stepped up, toe to toe with Jeff.

"You really want to start this again? This ridiculous game of one-up-manship? Cuz you know how it always turns out in the end."

Jeff's eyes took on an oddly glowing light and his smile got even more satisfied. "Oh it's on. ECW champ versus WWE champ. Right here, right now." But the brothers, thankfully, were interrupted before they got into yet another match, as Mae blew into the room, Atlantis at her heels, both looking exhausted.

"I know, I know," Mae panted, forestalling the lecture on what time it was. "Check out's in twenty minutes. I heard you this morning. Just let me hose off and I'll be right out," and she disappeared into the bathroom, overnight bag in hand.

Matt snorted and turned back to his packing, while Jeff eyed the Doberman warily. Atlantis had jumped up on his bed and parked it next to his suitcase, looking for all the world like an innocent puppy. But two steps back to his bedside, and Jeff got a nice view of her canines, once again. "Gah! Jesus dog, what did I ever do to you!"

"Ya know man, I don't think it's got anything to do with her," Matt observed, not looking up from his bags.

"What are you talkin' about?" Jeff demanded, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"She's a Dobie, Jeff. They'll protect their masters until they've got nothing left, and then some. I think she senses that Mae's not completely comfortable with you, so she's trying to keep her safe by keeping you away."

"Great. As if I needed something else to come between me and Mae," Jeff muttered quietly. Matt finally glanced up, saw the distraught look on his brother's face and took pity on him.

"Lanis! C'mon girl!" Matt whistled and patted his knee. The Doberman happily jumped up and ran to the elder Hardy, her happy face clearly stating she had no problems with him. And when she planted her front paws on Matt's shoulders and a big kiss on his cheek, it became even more clear.

"The hell?! I give up!" And Jeff continued packing, practically seething in frustration and regret.

True to her word, Mae was clean, dressed and packed by the time the boys were ready to leave, amazingly. Matt just shook his head and slung an arm over her shoulders, the two leading the way down to the lobby, where they were met with sudden shrieks of excitement.

"OH MY GOD!!! MAE!!!" And Mae suddenly found herself yanked away from the brothers and sandwiched between a handful of Divas. Both Jeff and Matt wisely stood back and allowed their female friends welcome their long-lost companion back, in apparently what was classic girl-fashion - mauling.

"Where the hell have you been?" Mickie cried, seizing Mae's face in both her hands. "We missed you so much!"

"When did you get here?" Kelly interrupted, both arms wrapped around Mae's waist.

"How long are you here for?" Maria demanded, grasping Mae's shoulder.

"Why did you leave?" Melina questioned, Mae's hand tightly clasped in her own.

"Ok girls, I think Mae needs to breathe," Matt interjected, just in the nick of time. "Why don'tcha all give her some space, huh?" The women reluctantly released their friend and made her promise to find them later so they could all talk. Mae said she would and once the Divas were gone, she turned and collapsed into Matt's chest.

"My hero," she cried, voice muffled by his shirt and muscle.

"Aw c'mon, they missed you," he replied, rather disappointed Mae was reacting this way.

"And I love them for it, Matty, I do. I just forgot how overwhelming they can be all at once like that. Especially after so long without them." Disappointment set aside, Matt smiled softly and patted Mae on the back gently.

"Well you'll get plenty of chances to ease yourself back in once you come on the road with us." Mae looked up at Matt suddenly, her eyes wide in surprise. "What? Didn't we already talk about this?"

"No! You told me I was coming with you when we left The Works, but I just figured it would be for the night!"

"Uh, my bad?" Matt said, weakly, an apologetic look on his features.

"Matt! What are you thinkin'? I can't just come with you guys! What about Atlantis? And what am I gonna be, your groupie? I'm sure the McMahons will shell out free room, board and transport for some random ass chick who just can't go back home! Come on!" Matt was trying to explain his 'master plan' to her, but Mae was having none of it.

"You always do this Matthew! It's a nice thought, but it's my life!" Happy not to be on the receiving end of a patented Mae Lancer tongue lashing, Jeff was prepared to sit back and let his brother flounder, but when Matt turned pleading eyes to him, he found himself speaking up.

"Chill out there, Killer. We just figured that you would want to come back to your old gig as our trainer, but if you've got other plans…" And just like that, Jeff realized Mae's problem. She didn't have anywhere else to go.

He and Matt had inadvertently backed her into a corner and she felt like she didn't have any options. It had all been done with the best of intentions, but nonetheless. If Jeff knew nothing else about this girl, he knew the worst thing to do to her was to give her no choice. And another idea started forming in his enigmatic head.

He reached for Mae's hand and pulled her aside, motioning to Matt to go check them out of their room.

"I'm sorry Mae, I didn't realize what we were doin' to you," he murmured softly. Mae's gaze came off the floor and met his tiger eyes for the first time since being back - really_ looking_ at him. And she saw the honesty there and a tiny part of her relaxed. She dropped her eyes again, but nodded her understanding.

"Listen, would you…I want you to think about coming back on the road with us. I know you're worried about…well, about everything. But I think you should - I want you to give me the chance to show you that I've changed. I'm better now Mae-mae." Jeff's voice calling her that name was her drug, Mae swore to god. His sweet, southern drawl saying her nickname, it called to a deep part of her that she had tried so hard to resist. By clenching her teeth and reminding herself she was in a highly public place, was the only way Mae kept herself from turning into a complete fool.

"Wow, it's been a long time since I've heard that name," she replied quietly, hoping against hope she wasn't being completely transparent.

"And I want the chance to be able to say it a lot more," Jeff found himself admitting to her. "But I want it to be what you want to. So why don't you take some time before you decide to come with us or not?"

"Take some time? Jeff I'm homeless, un-employed and completely confused! Just where exactly do you plan on me 'taking some time'?!" Mae's irritation only increased as a slight smirk started at the corner of Jeff's mouth and stretched into a full-on grin that reached his eyes in the space of a blink. "What is so funny?!?"

"Darlin', you know you're never homeless. Two phone calls and you're in Cameron." The look on Mae's face was completely worth winding her up, Jeff had to admit. He pulled out his cell phone as she continued staring at him, mouth slightly ajar.

"Hey Dad? How ya doin'? Oh we're good. Listen, I'm sending an old friend down, she'll be coming in later tonight on the bus. Cuz there's no way I'm gonna get her dog on a plane on such short notice. Can you pick her up at the depot? Oh you'll know, trust me. Yessir. Yessir. Love you too." And he flipped the phone shut. "Phase one complete. Now, where's Matt?"

Mae pointed dumbly over her shoulder, indicating Matt standing off to the side, a worried expression taking up his features. Jeff grasped Mae's hand once again and hauled her back over to his brother.

"Here, hang onto her for a second, I've gotta get her ticket."

"Hang on, her ticket where? Jeff? Jeff!" But the younger man was gone, off to find the nearest bus depot. "What's he talkin' about, Mae?" Mae took a moment to come out of her stupor, but when she did, a small smile appeared on her face.

"He's sending me home."

***

500 Miles Later

Mae dismounted the Greyhound bus with Atlantis, taking a moment to stretch her tired frame before looking around. It didn't take her long to spot Gilbert Hardy, arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the driver-side door of his older model Chevy pickup. His weather-beaten face was turned slightly away from her at the moment as his eyes scanned the lot, apparently looking for something. Taking a deep breath, Mae slung her bag over her shoulder, made sure Atlantis was beside her, and headed over.

Halfway across the lot, he caught sight of her and Mae could swear her heart stopped. He stood up straight and his hands fell to his sides, a serious gaze adorning his face. He started striding toward her and Mae stopped, unsure of what kind of reception she was going to receive.

Gil stopped three feet in front of her - for about half a second. Then he closed in and swooped Mae up in his arms, a wide grin stretching his tanned features.

"Goddamn girl, it's good to see you!" he cried, swinging her tiny body around in a circle before setting her back on her own feet. "I kept asking Jeff who it was he was sending but he kept it pretty close to the vest this time. But I never imagined it would be you!"

Mae found herself laughing and crying all at once, so happy to be back home, in the arms of the man who had all but adopted her when she was growing up alongside his boys.

"Are you sure this is okay?" she found herself asking, almost not wanting to hear the answer. "Jeff just sprung this on me and I didn't really have a chance to say no, and I know he didn't really ask you either, just wanted you to pick me up and if you don't want me here I can find somewhere else to stay - " Thankfully Mae's rambling was cut off by Gil grabbing her up in another hug.

"I won't hear of you stayin' anywhere but with me," he answered, silencing the little voice in Mae's head.

"Oh thank god," she whispered into his shoulder as Gil put her back down.

"Now," he said, escorting her back to the truck. "Why don't you tell me what's been goin' on?"

***


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four - On the Road**_

Matt was sitting in the Houston airport with the rest of the WWE crew, waiting on a layover, when his phone buzzed with an unfamiliar ringtone.

_She's watchin' wrestling, creamin' over tough guys_

_Listening to rap-metal, turntables in her eyes_

_It's like a bad movie, she's lookin' thru me_

_If you were me then you'd be, screamin' so much you'd bleed_

_As I fell miserably, tryin' to get the girl all the bad guys want._

"Hello?" he answered uncertainly, not recognizing the number.

"Hey Matty, how's business?" Mae's overly-innocent voice filtered through the connection, obviously having noted Matt's confusion and cleverly discerning the reason.

"Mae, did you have a little too much fun with my phone when I wasn't lookin'?"

"Maybe just a lil'," she giggled before breaking into a full laugh. Matt couldn't help it and was chuckling along with her in no time.

"Well you sure sound happy," he noted, glancing around to locate Jeff, not wanting to be overheard at the moment. His brother was several feet away, earbuds safely in his ears, offbeat rock music no doubt cranked. "The homecoming did you good then, huh?"

"Yeah it did," Mae's chuckles died down, but Matt could still hear the smile in her voice. "I can't believe I stayed away for so long, but it's almost like I never left! And Atlantis loves it! I don't think she's ever had so much space to run! I'm really glad I came back."

"Well, the boy wonder does have his fair share of brilliant ideas, I've gotta give him that," Matt drawled, once again watching his brother, who was apparently focused on his drawing, if the scrunched brows and lower lip set between his teeth was anything to go by.

"He does at that," Mae agreed, and Matt was pleased to hear no trace of the confusion that had always entered her voice as soon as Jeff was brought up in conversation. "But aside from praising your younger brother, that is not, in fact, the only reason I'm calling. Where is y'all's next show?"

"Well if our flight _ever_ gets here, we take off from Houston and land in Denver friggin' early tomorrow morning. Why?"

"I've been thinkin' a lot. About what you guys want me to do - ya know, be your trainer again?"

"And?" Matt urged her to continue, excitedly.

"I really think it could be good for me. It's what I need to finally heal over these old scars of mine, be me again." Matt jumped out of his chair and whooped, every part of his body ecstatic that his 'baby sister' was coming back to them - for real this time. He ignored the looks from everyone around him and turned his attention back to his phone.

"You sure baby-girl? This is what you want?" Mae's heartwarming chuckles reassured him as much as her affirmative answer. "Oh this is great! Wait till I tell Jeff!"

"Hold on Matt, I want to surprise him. Can you not say anything just yet? I've already got everything squared away with Vince and Steph and Shane, and I've got a flight to Denver that leaves in a bit from Raleigh. Just bite that tongue and keep it secret? Please?"

"You're killin' me, Smalls," Matt groaned. He hated keeping secrets, even good ones like this.

"I know Matty, and I wouldn't ask unless it was really important to me."

"You so owe me, Shorty." He squeezed a few more details out of her before she had to go, her flight number having just been called.

"Oh, and Mae? I'm changing your ringtone."

***

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will begin our descent to Denver International Airport at this times. Please make sure your seatbacks and tray tables are in the upright and locked position. Please be careful when removing luggage from the overhead compartments as items may have shifted during flight. Once again, thank you for flying American Airlines, Flight 734, and enjoy your stay!" The perky stewardess's voice had Jeff on edge. No one should be that alert at 3:30 in the morning, especially not after a red-eye from Houston.

Grumbling to himself, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and followed Matt off the plane to pick up their rental car. Twenty minutes later, keys in hand, they grabbed their suitcases from baggage claim and were quickly headed to the hotel for some shut-eye.

Matt kept glancing over at him randomly, seemingly on the brink of exploding, and if Jeff had been more alert he may have guessed why, but at the moment all he cared about was sleep. As they checked in at the hotel, he barely noticed that the Hardy boys had ranked a suite this time around, when usually they were forced to share a room on account of being related.

Jeff shuffled into the elevator and let Matt push the button for their floor, as he had no clue what it was. _Fuck, I need a shower,_ he thought to himself.

As if his brother had read his mind, Matt muttered, "Dude, you stink." Jeff merely glared, earning himself a smirk from the brunette.

"If I stink, you must be absolutely rank," he replied, not really in the mood. Matt chuckled and let it go, not really into it either.

The elevator doors dinged open and Jeff followed Matt down the hall to room 427. Matt slid the keycard in, waited for the green light and shoved the door open.

"Home sweet hotel," he muttered and headed toward the bedroom on the right. "'Night bro," he tossed over his shoulder, and disappeared to pass out. Jeff waved in answer and let the door close behind him.

"Welcome to Denver," he murmured, glancing out the window at the snow-covered horizon. Shaking his head, he headed to the bedroom on the left, eager to rest.

But rest was the last thing on his mind when he opened the door to find Mae sitting cross-legged on his bed, anxiously rubbing her elbows - an obvious show of her discomfort to all those who knew her.

"Mae, what - ? I thought you were still in Cameron." Jeff's tone clearly stated his confusion and Mae's overactive imagination was about to run away with her again before she forced herself back to reality.

"I was. I came back," she simply answered.

"Back? Back to Denver?" Jeff asked. A shaky grin made its way to Mae's face as she remembered the boys had just had a grueling night of travel and she needed to make this crystal clear to his jet-lagged brain.

"No, not back to Denver. Back to the WWE. Back to the Hardy Boyz." _Back to you,_ she finished in her head, not willing to utter those last three words just yet.

Jeff's face split in a grin as Mae's words finally made sense to his sleep-deprived brain. "You sure?" he asked, not wanting to get his hopes up. But her smile and firm nod made him just about the happiest man in the world. He strode over to her and picked her up in his arms, hugging her as he had been wanting to ever since he caught sight of her in Philly three weeks ago.

Mae melted into Jeff's embrace, her body fitting with his exactly like it had so long ago. _I can't believe how much I've missed this._

_I can't believe this feels better than I ever remembered_. And Jeff was perfectly content to just hold her for several minutes, until his body forcibly reminded him how tired he was.

"Darlin', I'm so glad you're here and that you're stayin', but…" he trailed off as his mouth stretched in a yawn.

"It's ok, I get it," Mae reassured him. "I'm a little jet-lagged myself. I'll let you get some sleep." And she headed for the living room and the hide-a-bed.

"Whoa there missy. You know better than that," Jeff admonished her, catching her elbow gently. "Dad would tan my butt if he knew I even let you think about sleeping on the couch while I get this wonderfully comfortable, big bed to myself. I'm takin' the couch."

"No, but Jeff - !"

"I swear to god, girl. Sometimes I'd swear you were a Yankee," Jeff interrupted again, the twinkle in his eye revealing his playful nature in the statement. Mae's eyes narrowed at the comment, and she figured if he wanted to play that way…

"Fine, I won't take the couch. But there's no reason we can't share the bed. Like you said, it's more than big enough."

_Oh-ho, the gloves are off now,_ Jeff thought, recognizing the challenge for what it was and shrugging. "Yes, it is." He reached up and pulled his hoodie off, throwing it to the opposite corner of the room before starting to toe off his shoes. Mae followed suit, untying her boots and kicking them off before reaching for her belt.

Soon both of them were in their sleeping attire, which for Mae consisted of her standard - undies and wife beater tank top - while Jeff pulled on a pair of gym pants after Mae jokingly promised not to peek. The two friends climbed under the covers, careful not to cross the imaginary boundary they both envisioned ran down the middle of the bed.

"'Night Jeff," Mae practically squeaked, as she curled up on the far edge of the mattress, trying not to hog the comforter.

"G'night Mae," Jeff's hushed voice answered, wishing he had a reason to reach over and pull her body flush with his once again.

***

The next morning - or rather, afternoon - Matt knocked on Jeff's bedroom door and swung the door open without waiting for an answer. Which is how he was able to see his brother sprawled over his bed, one arm slung over the tiny brunette beside him, who didn't seem to mind that much, as she was snuggled into his side, perfectly content.

"Hey Jeffro - whoa. I really need to learn to knock," Matt commented. Jeff grunted and waved one hand at his brother, clearly telling him to get out. Matt was positive his brother didn't realize the position he was in just yet, and as tempting as it was to stay and watch the outcome, he also didn't want to miss lunch, since breakfast was a distant dream.

Jeff heard Matt close the door, and he relaxed back into the bed, enjoying the warmth he was sharing with the body next to him. _Wait…_

The rainbow-haired warrior shot into a sitting position, inadvertently jolting his bedmate and waking her. When he got a good look at who it was, Jeff immediately blew out a sigh of relief, then cringed and waited to see what Mae's reaction would be.

Mae pushed herself up on her forearms and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before glancing beside her and spotting Jeff. Her gaze fixed on him, then turned to the bed, then went back to him. Then she looked down at herself and sighed in relief when she noted she was clothed. She glanced back up at Jeff and grinned sheepishly.

""Spose there are worse people I could be waking up next to," she teased. Jeff clutched his chest in false heartache, inwardly relieved at her reaction.

"Milady wounds me with her words," he cried, his dramatic side causing her to chuckle, grateful the situation wasn't disintegrating into something horribly awkward.

"I'll bet," she drawled in reply, and rearranged herself so she was sitting up against the headboard. "How'd you sleep?"

"Remarkably well," Jeff answered. "You still kick like a mule." Mae's eyes widened in shock at his audacity.

"I do not! You still hog the covers like it's goin' outta style!"

"Well you didn't seem to have a problem with it when you glued your sweet ass to my side last night," Jeff returned, cocky grin firmly in place. _Huh, would ya look at that? She still blushes just as easily as she used to._

Tomato-red in the face, Mae glared at her bunkmate, sputtering for some excuse.

"It's not my fault the room is the temperature of an iceberg at night!"

"Sure, sure, blame it on the climate-controlled hotel room. We both know you want me," Jeff answered, getting out of bed and swaggering backwards to the door. "You hungry, sex fiend? Cuz I'm pretty sure that's what Matt came in here to get me for." About to bite back another comment, Mae suddenly remembered something Matt had let slip a few days ago.

Slowly she slid the covers off and stood up, keeping eye contact with Jeff the entire time as she walked over to him, making sure to put just a little extra sway in her hips. She could see him swallow hard as his eyes fought to stay on hers and not roam her body. The wicked grin found its way to her face and she didn't stop her approach until she was inches away from his toned chest.

"Starvin'," she murmured, and brushed past him to enter the living area.

"That is so not fair," she heard him mutter to himself, voice choked with desire. Celebrating her little victory in her head, Mae waltzed into the kitchen to find Matt wolfing down a bowl of cereal.

"There gonna be any of that left for the rest of us, Matty?" she teased, pulling a bowl and spoon from the cupboards. Matt shrugged, mouth too full to reply. "What's the matter, Jeff? Not hungry?" she asked innocently, as Jeff had yet to leave the doorway, still staring at her.

Matt glanced up at his brother and snorted into his cereal at the expression on Jeff's face - completely shell-shocked. Thankfully, Matt's amusement woke his brother up to his current surroundings and Jeff shook himself out of his daze. "Umm, yeah. Sure I am."

***

A few hours later, Mae met with the McMahons to go over her contract one more time before signing. It was pretty straightforward - she was trainer and assistant to both Hardy brothers, and occasionally anyone they were teamed with. This had been the arrangement she had previously with the wrestling corporation, so it was all old news.

After signing, she bid her old/new bosses farewell and headed to the gym. When she had been on her own, before Atlantis came along, she had joined several kickboxing classes, participated in numerous martial arts tournaments and even the occasional dance class, just to keep herself in shape and well-rounded. After the Doberman became part of her life, daily runs helped her build up her conditioning so she was in the best shape of her life.

Now the only thing Mae was worried about was the inevitable ring rust. Wrestling had been forcibly removed from her life the day she walked out of the Hardy's world - too much of it had reminded her of her friends and the memories she left behind.

Matt had promised to help her train and get back in the swing of things, but the competitive little brunette would never admit to anyone but her champion friend that she was even the slightest bit scared. So when Jeff met her at the gym and said Matt wasn't able to meet her that day, she started rubbing her elbows worriedly.

"You okay, darlin'?" Jeff asked, noting the attempt at controlled panic that blazed through her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied shortly, not really focusing. Jeff followed her gaze to the match going on in one of the practice rings, and immediately understood. Now, how to help her past it without letting on he knew?

"Mae, can you help me practice a few of my moves? I've got this intergender match coming up and I need to feel how my moves are gonna work with a girl who's smaller and faster, ya know?" Lame excuse, Jeff knew, but Mae was too distracted to see the ploy for what it was. She nodded and followed Jeff over to an empty ring.

They climbed up on the apron and swung between the ropes, Jeff with his easy confidence, Mae as easily as if she had never been gone. _Whoop-tee-friggin'-doo, you climbed through the ropes without falling on your ass. That is _not_ why Vince gave you a fucking contract! Now snap out of it!_ Mae yelled to herself, and shook her anxiety out.

Jeff glanced over at her as they stretched, and he could see her start to focus. _That's my girl._

Twenty minutes later, Mae was starting to get mad. She had been swung around, pummeled a few times and would have been tossed out on her ass if Jeff hadn't checked his throw in time. She was sucking major ass, and she was getting _pissed_.

Jeff grabbed her wrist and tossed her towards the ropes, setting her up for a clothesline, but at the last second, Mae ducked and bounced herself off the ropes on her own, coming back and slamming into Jeff with a hit of her own, sending him to the floor of the ring.

"Finally!" he wheezed - her arm had caught him directly in the throat. Mae glared down at him and headed for the turnbuckles, determined to shut him up. She climbed to the top and all of a sudden, looking down on her opponent, it all clicked and she nailed the Swanton Bomb.

"What was that again?" she gasped, leaning over Jeff, her eyes still blazing. Jeff just smiled, not at all fazed.

"Little weak there, darlin'. I almost had you for a moment."

"Not a chance in hell," she growled, grabbing his arm and dragging him to his feet. Jeff twisted out of it and managed to get an arm bar. Mae squirmed around, trying to wriggle out of it, but Jeff had her tight.

"Just tap," he suggested, cocky grin evident in his voice.

"Forget it," Mae hissed, and swung her leg at his head. Jeff's hold lessened for half a second as he ducked and that was all the time Mae needed as she slid her arm free. And they were back up, circling each other, looking for an opening.

"Don't tell me y'all started without me," Matt's voice carried across the gym, causing Mae to glance up - her fatal mistake. Jeff took the opening and bulldogged her into the matt, going for the pin.

"Dammit!" she cried, flopping back to the floor of the ring, frustrated.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Jeff murmured, letting himself fall beside her. "Everyone gets rusty." Mae snorted, not really wanting to hear the 'it'll come back, just give it time' speech right now. "No, listen to me. When I started training again after rehab, you shoulda seen the shitty ass moves I was tryin' to pull. Matt killed me every time. I refused to come back and train with everyone else until I was halfway decent - and that took awhile."

Mae listened to Jeff explain about his comeback, about the withdrawals he went through after each practice bout, just wanting to swallow something to make the pain go away. She had never heard him talk about it before and she didn't want him to stop, afraid she would never get the chance to hear it again.

"Besides," Jeff teased her. "You _are_ competing against the WWE Champion. Not everyone can get it up." Mae's look of confusion threw Jeff off his ribbing though, as he tried to discern the reason behind it.

"I'm what?" she asked, sitting up. "Who's the champ?" Now it was Jeff's turn to be confused. He got to his feet and held a hand out to help her up.

"I am." And Mae's eyes stretched to the size of saucers.

"_**What?!**_"

"Yeah I beat Adam and Paul in a Triple Threat Match at Armageddon - oof!" Mae tackled Jeff - not an easy feat for a young woman of 5' 3" - and was alternately cheering for his victory, and reaming him for not telling her sooner.

"I can't believe you didn't _tell_ me! We've wanted this for so long! What the hell were you thinkin'? I'm so proud of you Jeff! What was _Matt_ thinkin'? Where is he, I'm gonna kill him! Matt!" Jeff couldn't help laughing at her baffling diatribe, and wrapped his arms securely around her body when she attempted to jump up - assumingly to find his older brother and murder him.

"Easy there, darlin'. I guess we just assumed you already knew. It's kind of old news around here anymore."

"Old news? _Old news?_ Oh no, my best friend wins the WWE championship for the first time in his ten year career, and two months later it's already old news? I don't think so. We are going out tonight, we are celebrating, we are getting drunk! Matty!" she summoned, looking around for the older Hardy, who was leaning on the ropes, chuckling to himself.

"You rang?"

"Ah-ha! There you are! Tonight, we party!"

Across the gym, Cena's head popped up from the weight bench. "Did someone say party?"

***

_I just want to say thank you very much to everyone who has reviewed or placed me on their favorites lists. You guys are the reason I write my twisted fantasies and I love ya!_


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